Self-sealing bottle-stopper.



W. G. PEAGOGK. SELF SEALING BOTTLE STOPPER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1911.

Patented July 23, 1912.

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ATENT curios.

WILLIAM G. PEACOCK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN'OR TO THE PERFECTION BOTTLE STOPPER COMPANY, OF CHICAGQ-ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS. J

SELF-SEALING BOTTLE-STOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 23, 1912.

Application filed May 29, 1911. Serial No. 630,050.

To all whom it may concern:

in bottle or other receptacle stoppers of that kind embracing ahollow elastic bulb that constitutes the sealing portion of the sto per which is arranged to be longitudinal y stretched to thereby reduce its diameter when it is inserted into the'bottle neck and to thereafter resume its. normal length and diameter to automatically adjust itself to the bottle neck to seal the bottle.

Among the objectsof the inventionis to simplify and cheapenbottle stoppers of this character and to arrange the parts thereof to be readily assembled.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and eflicient combined stopper and bottle cap remover.

-The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.-

In the drawings,Figu're 1 is a view partially in axial section and partially in elevation of a; stopper embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a partial plan-and partial section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig.3 is an axial section of the cap of the stopper. Fig. 4 is anaxial section of a retaining ring for holding the bulb in the cap. Fig. 5 is a plan view of saidiring. Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partiz' broken away, of the bulb I or sealing member of the stopper.

, The stopper comprises an elongated, hollow bulb 10 made of an elastic mater1al, as rubber, which which may be stiffened by 1n- 1 ternalhribs' 11, 11. The bulb is closed at its lower end and is open at its upper end. It is provided at its upper endwith a thickened flange or head 12 which fits in a suitably shaped, downwardly opening recess 13 of a cap 14 that is made of any suitable rigid material, preferably a non corrosive fl material. The said flange or head 12 of't-he bulb is made of an exterior contour to fit the interior contour of the recess 13 of the cap 14 and the flange is confined insaid recess by means of a ring 15 which is detachably connected with the cap at the open side of its recess and bears against the lower annular side 16 of the bulb 10. The ring, as

herein shown, is exteriorly screw-threaded. to engage internal screw threads 17 of the cap, as best shown in- Figs. 1 and 3. The

said ring may be provided with holes 18 adapted for engagement by a spanner wrench by which to conveniently attach the ring to and detach it from the cap.

20 designates the stem of the stopper which extends downwardly through an opening 21 in the cap and into the hollow sealing bulb, and said stem may be provided at its lower end with a plunger portion 22 that is adapted to engage the inner side of the closed end of'the bulb so that when the stem and plunger are depressed, relatively to the cap 14, the sealing bulb is stretched or elongated so as to thereby reduce the diameter of the bulb to permit it to be readily inserted into a bottle neck or other opening which the stopper is designed toclose. When the plunger is released the bulb resumes its normal diameter to automatically adjust itself to the bottle neck or other opening to seal the latter.

The cap is provided with a centrally located,

integral depending portion 23 through which extends the aperture 21 in which the stem 20 is slidingly fitted, and said extension 23 constitutes a stop adapted to be engaged by the upper end of the plunger portion 22, under the action of the elastic sealing.

member or bulb 10', as shown in Fig. 1, so

as to hold the. stem portion and. the otherparts of the stopper in relatively fixed relation. The extension 23 fits closely within the hollow upper end of the sealing bulb within the cap andsupports-the bulb from inwardly distortion when the locking ring is screwed into place, thereby enabling the parts to be reliably and fixedly locked to-' gether. The said plunger portion22 may be made of the same material as the cap 14 and is shown as provided with an axial screw-threaded opening to receive the lower screw-threaded end of the stem 20. As herev in shown, the stem is made of a single piece of wire the ends of'which are brought together'to form the shank of the stem. The

outer end of the stem is formed to proof the extension made integral with the end vide an open loop or eye 25 which constitutes a hand piece by which the stem may be conveniently manipulated. The loop also may be provided at the opposite sides of the axis of the stem, and on the lower members of the loop or eye with spurs 26 which may be struck up from the metal of the loop. The loop or eye thus constructed constitutes a convenientv means for removing metal bottle caps or stoppers from the necks or mouths of bottles and like receptacles. In this use of the device the loop is placed over the-top of the bottle cap or stopper with the spurs 26 engaged with the lower edge of the cap, and by raising the outer end of the device, with the closedportion of the loop constituting the fulcrum,

the cap may be lifted off the bottle neck.

An advantage of the construction embracing the plain or flangeless wall of the cap 14 which surrounds the open end of the reces's 13 therein, combined with the locking ring 15, releasably secured to the-cap and bearing against the under side of the head or flange of the bulb, is the ease with which the cap and bulb may be assembled; it being apparent that the head or flange of the bulb may be readily inserted into the recess of the cap and fitted thereto, and that it is only necessary to screw the ring 15 into place to lock the parts fixedly together.

By making the depending portion-of the cap 23 integral with the end wall of the cap a considerable advantage is attained in cheapening the cost of construction and assembling of the device. Another advantage wall of the cap and provided with the ex tension of the opening 21 through which the stem extends and in which itslides, is that the bearing between the stemand the cap is thus elongated, so as to thereby materially aid in holding the stem from lateral movement relatively to the cap. This construction is of especialadvantage when the outer end of the stem is formed to produce a bottle cap remover as herein shown, as it stiflens or braces-the structure as a whole when used for this purpose. Preferably the opening 21 in the cap and extension will be made oval so as to closely fit the transversely elongated stem shown and thereby add to the rigidity of the device.

It will be understood that the structural details of the device may be somewhat varied within the spirit and scope ofthe invention,

and that the invention is not limited to the precise details illustrated, except as hereinafter made the subject of specific claims.

ing an elongated hollow bulb'of elastic ma-v terial which is open at one end and closed at its other end and provided around its open end with an exterior longitudinally and radially thickened flange, a rigid cap having an open recess to receive said flange and in which said flange fits, a locking ring engaged with the open side of the cap and bearing against the under side of the flange, and a stem extending through and having sliding engagement with the cap and bearing within the bulb thereof;

2. A self sealing bottle stopper comprising an elongated hollow bulb of elastic material which is open at one end and closed at the other end and provided around its open end with an exterior longitudinally and radially thickened flange, a rigid cap having an open recess to receive said flange and in which said flange fits, a locking ring having screw-threaded engagement with the open side of the cap and bearing against the under side of the flange, and a stem extending through and having sliding engagement with the cap and hearing within the bulb against the closed end thereof, said cap being provided with an integral extension which closely fits the open end of said bulb within said flange, and to constitute a stop to engage a shoulder on said stem, for the purpose set forth. I

3. 'A self sealing bottle stopper comprising an elongated hollow bulb of elastic material which is closed at one end and open at the other end and provided around its open end with a flange, a cap having a recess to receive the flange and provided with anpresence of two witnesses, this 24th day of May A. D. 1911.

WILLIAM ermcocx. I 'Witnesse's:

WM. L. HALL, WILLIAM GOLDBERGER.

against the closed end 

